Storage and management systems such as WinFS (Microsoft Windows® Future Storage or Microsoft Windows® File System), for example, allow different kinds of data to be identified by metadata and use this metadata to set up relationships among data, thereby giving a semantic structure to it. These relationships can then be used by a relational database to enable searching and dynamic aggregation of such data, allowing it to be presented in a variety of ways. In one setup, WinFS can include a relational database engine, derived from the Microsoft® SQL Server database platform, to facilitate such manipulation of data.
One problem associated with this setup is data model integrity. WinFS items are persisted as relational objects using a well-defined item data model. Items can be retrieved using T-SQL views and modified using a robust update infrastructure. The update infrastructure enforces security and safeguards the integrity of item data model. Arbitrary SQL access to an item store may result in compromise of the integrity of data model. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide mechanisms to maintain data model integrity.
Another problem associated with this setup is the disclosure of intellectual property. A significant intellectual property of the item store implementation lies in the layout of object persistence and the implementation of the update infrastructure. Arbitrary SQL access to the item store will expose the patterns for object persistence and details of update infrastructure. This exposure may result in loss of advantage with competitors in similar technological spaces. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide mechanisms that prevent the disclosure of intellectual property.
Yet another problem associated with the aforementioned setup is security. A full fledged relational engine increases the security attack surface area in the item store. Security vulnerabilities in the relational engine can be exposed in operating system clients and servers with installations of item store. In addition, awareness of implementation details may lead to leveraged security attacks. Thus, it would be advantageous to provide mechanisms that maintain the security of WinFS data.
In short, mechanisms are needed, whether systems, methods, computer readable media, and so on, that addresses these shortcomings of the prior art.